Clifford Enterprises Web Design and Video Interviews was
In the News, July 2003 as a Feature Article in North Shore Surfer Magazine

(also see The Daily Item News article October, 2003, regarding the North of Boston Business and Professoinal Women of the Year Awarded to Annie Clifford)

Websites Up Close and Personal
Marblehead firm's streaming video interviews personalize business portals

By Hale McNulty

Annie Clifford, owner of Clifford Enterprises Web Design in Marblehead,
didn't implement her idea for adding a streaming video interviews component to her website design business overnight. It's been percolating a while. She just had to wait until technology caught up with her concept.

"I got a digital camera with a movie feature a couple years ago and that's when I thought of the idea," explains Clifford. "Why not make business websites more personal and add a video feature? People absorb information in different ways and video could make the difference. The technology wasn't there at first. Now, it's seamless.

Clifford casts the service as ideal for companies looking to personalize
their website and give visitors a "message-from-the-president" style
presentation in a short video. CEWD (www.cliffordenterprises.com) offers on-site filming service via a customized, pre-designed interview format, then edits and compresses the video, making it available in multiple formats for Web streaming.

The current available formats are QuickTime for MAC users and Windows Media for PC users. Clifford plans to add Real Player shortly. Connections are set up for dial-up modem speed and cable/DSL. CEWD provides clients' in-house Webmasters with the links to be posted. Clifford also provides a copy of the video on a CD-ROM for additional versatility.

"Users don't want to have to figure out what application they need for their system, they just want to double-click an icon, so we just direct them accordingly," says Clifford. "This is really going to take off because it allows owners to put their stamp on their site. It's a fine line - nobody wants to view too much - but this downloads quickly and we think it really helps pull people in."

Clifford adds that the video component injects polish into any website with the "cutting-edge difference." She believes streaming video enhances a company's ability and facility to inform potential customers about what products are available or gaining popularity and what's new. Music soundtracks are an available option.

Clifford notes the streaming video also is applicable for job-hunters.

"We can stream it to a personal website showcasing your accomplishments," she says. "We'll also copy the video onto a CD-ROM so it can accompany a resume submission."

Recently, CEWD filmed the president of a company who had been contacted by Court TV for a potential television production to enhance his audition chances. In the course of setting up an account, Clifford meets with her clients to strategize a plan for the video clip, keeping duration to no longer than two minutes. She feels properly diagnosing a client's needs are vital to generating a meaningful clip. Clifford also recommends using client testimonials in video segments.

Clifford worked at Wang Laboratories, first in Chicago and then in Lowell, for 10 years before starting up Clifford Enterprises, Inc. in 1989. Clifford Enterprises, Inc. was established to provide small and medium-sized companies with marketing materials such as logos, brochures, newsletters and company stationary.

Several years ago, Clifford changed the focus to designing websites for
companies in any industry as well as e-commerce sites, via CEWD. Other services include site layout and design, redesigns and maintenance, email newsletter design as well as logo designs.

Reprinted with permission
North Shore Surfer ©2003

Clifford Enterprises Web Design
Annie Clifford, 3 Park Lane, Marblehead, MA 01945
www.cliffordenterprises.com
annie@cliffordenterprises.com
781.639.1738